MTFCA Forum

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-his ... bor-bombed
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_7

I wore my BB-39 hat to work today.

December 7th will continue to be remembered as a "day of infamy." It drew us into a war that saw the deaths of 418,500 American soldiers and civilians over roughly 3 1/2 years. Despite being old enough to avoid the draft, my dad joined the Seabees and served in the Pacific while my mom left her teaching job to build bombers at Ford's Willow Run Plant. Even my grandmother, who had never worked outside the home, worked in a defense industry. I am proud of all of them. Understandably, the sacrifices made by Americans during this period earned them the distinction of being the "Greatest Generation."

I apologize for hijacking this thread somewhat but an unfortunate comparison is the current Covid crisis. 282,436 deaths since March puts us on track to equal or pass the deaths from WWII yet we still can't pull it together to do all that needs to be done to stem the spread of this awful virus. What will future generations call us?

We are fortunate to have the stories and movies to remind us of that event and hopefully we will keep learning from unfortunate events.
It's also the 52nd anniversary to my marriage to my first wife and my friend Lynn's birthday. He passed away in February.

My grandfather's best friend, PJ McMurtry, was a Pearl Harbor survivor.

He was a big fan of high school football and came to all my practices and games in the 1980's. He and I attended the same high school, nearly 50 years apart.

He refused to buy Japanese cars for decades. Then, one Saturday in 1986, he showed up in our driveway in a brand-new Honda Accord. We were all shocked and asked him about it. He said, "I've held onto that anger for a long, long time, and it's time to let it go. Plus, this is just a damn good car!"
(I'm paraphrasing)

He passed away many years ago. He was a hulk of a man, 6' 3" and pure muscle. I knew of his WW2 exploits and thought of him as something akin to a god. He had a gentle spirit and a genuine kindness that is rare in this world.

I miss him.

God bless all those who served that day in Pearl Harbor.

Today, 12/07/2020 remembers the Pearl Harbor DATE. Pearl Harbor DAY will always be the first Sunday in December. Never forget.

Our Family Doctor, Rene DuMontier, was in the service at Pearl Harbor on December the 7th.
I heard him tell my dad about delivering a baby that day up in the hills above Pearl Harbor and seeing the attack from a distance. Surely that was a historic event to see.
Later I think he was sent to Europe to attend the effort there.

There is an interesting series of three videos on Youtube covering the raising and repairs on the ships that were damaged or sunk in the attack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB-V9cCSC8o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlLCe1WNaIE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eibt2gYuFD4

Remember Pearl Harbor...

May we always honor those who's lives were lost in the fight for freedom. Let us honor them not only by our words, but by our deeds and by the way we live our lives as Americans. May their souls rest in peace, the heros of Dec. 7, 1941.

thank you for the reminder!

My 9th grade Social Studies teacher was there watching as her husband lost his life in the battle. I am not a man to get emotional and tear up, but when we visited the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, many years later, I began to cry when I saw his name on the plaque.
Norm

My grandfather, Harry Lee Polto, was a Pearl Harbor survivor. He's mentioned in Walter Lord's Day of Infamy.

Definitely a day to think about, our freedom was under attack. So many paid the ultimate price so we could continue to enjoy our beloved country. SALUTE!!!!

Perhaps of interest. Pearl Harbor survivor dies at age 104. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/state ... =197184513

I had my flag out all day. Most of the folks in my neighborhood forgot!